"It's definitely well deserved and long overdue," said Gretzky. "I don't think there was a better playoff-pressure player other than maybe Rocket Richard. His championships and statistics speak for themselves and, more importantly, he was an unselfish teammate."

Drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft, Anderson joined the Oilers in 1981 where he played alongside Gretzky until 1988. The pair helped lead the Oilers to four Stanley Cup championships during their time together in Edmonton.